Swiss canton launches initiative for rental transparency

Alliance launches voting campaign for cantonal rent initiative Keystone-SDA

The Tenants' Association of Bern, together with an alliance of political parties and associations, has launched a cantonal referendum campaign for 'Fair and Affordable Rents'.

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The initiative text calls for historic rental prices of properties to be made transparent so people can see what they will be charged compared to predecessor tenants.

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The Bern electorate can vote on the referendum on 28 September. The alliance of the Tenants’ Association, politcal parties, Casafair, the Bern-Solothurn housing co-operatives, VPOD Bern and the Bern Trade Union Federation is convinced that the requested measure is a “simple but effective instrument”.

Only with transparency can the current tenancy law be effective at all. In theory, tenants could challenge an excessive initial rent, but in practice, those affected usually do not know what their predecessors paid. This is where the initiative wants to start with the disclosure of previous rents.

Abusive rent increases could be more easily recognised and defended against by tenants and fair landlords could show that they are not abusing the change of tenant for hidden rent increases.

In a press release issued on Monday, the alliance writes that the pressure is great. Many employees, families, single people, pensioners and trainees can barely afford the high rents.

The transparent pre-rent has a price-dampening effect, as a comparison with cantons that have already introduced the instrument shows.

Translated from German by DeepL/mga

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